Cumberland Times News
CUMBERLAND — A hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Annapolis on a bill which would aid correctional officers pursuing workers’ compensation claims for hypertension and heart disease. The 1 p.m. hearing before the House Economic Matters Committee will consider a bill sponsored by Del. Jason?Buckel.
The bill’s provisions are straightforward, according to a fiscal and policy note prepared by the Department of Legislative Services.
“This bill extends to all state correctional officers an occupational disease presumption for heart disease or hypertension that is more severe than the individual’s prior condition and that results in partial or total disability or death. The bill also alters the definition of ‘public safety employee’ to include state correctional officers, making these officers eligible for enhanced workers’ compensation benefits,” according to the fiscal and policy note.
Most police and firefighters in the state are already able to take advantage of the presumption in workers’ compensation hearings. The presumption can be rebutted by employers if a hearing examiner decides they have provided sufficient evidence to rebut the claim for disability based on employment.
Former Del. Kevin Kelly sponsored a similar bill last year. Buckel said the issue is one on which he and Kelly agree, despite their differences on other issues. The bill was voted down in committee in 2014.
There are about 6,700 correctional officers working in state facilities, according to the fiscal and policy note. State police officers are already covered by the presumption.
The company which acts as the administrator for Maryland workers compensation benefits “reports that the average cost per heart disease or hypertension presumption claim for state police officers is about $36,000, generally spread over a 10-year period. The company also reports that there are currently 1,700 state police officers and an average of 33 heart disease or hypertension presumption claims per year,” according to the fiscal and policy note. Dels. Mick McKay and Wendell Beitzel are co-sponsoring the bill.